Retrieve or Decrypt Password of an application pool in IIS 8.5 or 8.0 or 7.5 or 7.0

If you have lost or forgot the password of an application pool identity on IIS, there is a very easy way in order to retrieve it.

The following procedure can be used on a server with IIS 8.5 or IIS 8.0 or IIS 7.5 or IIS 7.0.

1. Locate the application pool name from IIS Manager,
iis-app-pool-password-1

2. Run command prompt as Administrator

3. Change path to: C:\Windows\System32\inetsrv>

4. Enter the command: appcmd list apppool "apps" /text:*
note: “apps” is the application pool name in this example
iis-app-pool-password-2

5. Now you have the password, because it is stored in clear text. Remember to grant least privileges to these accounts, because the password can be easily retrieved.

PowerShell V3 Update Help

In the latest version of PowerShell, you can download and install the latest help files with the Update-Help cmdlet.

Syntax:

Parameter Set: Path
Update-Help [[-Module] <String[]> ] [[-SourcePath] <String[]> ] [[-UICulture] <CultureInfo[]> ] [-Credential ] [-Force] [-Recurse] [-UseDefaultCredentials] [ ]

Parameter Set: LiteralPath
Update-Help [[-Module] <String[]> ] [[-UICulture] <CultureInfo[]> ] [-Credential ] [-Force] [-LiteralPath <String[]> ] [-Recurse] [-UseDefaultCredentials] [ ]

In case you are using proxy with username/password authentication you will get this error when you try to update:

update-help : Failed to update Help for the module(s) 'Microsoft.PowerShell.Management, Microsoft.PowerShell.Utility, CimCmdlets, ISE, Microsoft.PowerShell.Diagnostics, Microsoft.PowerShell.Host, Microsoft.PowerShell.Security, Microsoft.WSMan.Management, PSScheduledJob, PSWorkflow, PSWorkflowUtility, Microsoft.PowerShell.Core' with UI culture(s) {en-US}: Unable to connect to Help content. Make sure the server is available and then try the command again.

To set proxy settings in PowerShell you can use:

import settings from Internet Explorer:

netsh winhttp import proxy source=ie

or
set proxy settings:

NetSH WinHTTP Set Proxy proxy-server="ProxyServer:8080"

If you are using authentication on your proxy server, try the following:

$browser = New-Object System.Net.WebClient
$credentials = Get-Credential
$browser.Proxy.Credentials = $credentials

…and

update-help

find out more for update-help cmdlet here